Is the earthmoving arrangement under construction? - JPC24M - CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: JPC24M - CC BY-SA 2.0

- By Equal team

Is the earthmoving arrangement under construction?

OVAM has taken a good look at the current earthmoving arrangement. The earthmoving arrangement aims at an environmentally sound hauling and transporting of excavated soil.

These are the main findings of the study:

  • Some soil-like materials - such as dredged silt and dredged spoils- should be covered by the earthmoving arrangement, just like excavated soil.

  • Due to mutual competition, the two soil management organizations (vzw Grondbeheer and vzw Grondwijzer) appear to not always act decisively in their control and enforcement capacity. Therefore, there is a need for a uniform quality system and the enforcement of the earthmoving arrangement should also be entrusted to an independent body (for example, local governments).

  • According to the study, there is a need for uniform quality requirements concerning the different Soil Treatment Centres (STC) and Temporary Storage Sites (TSS). In addition, there should be more controls on both the flow and the internal processes of the different STC’s and TSS’s.

  • A code of good practice relating to the determination of the presence of asbestos in the implementation of the soil investigation seems necessary.

Out of these findings it appears that the next revision of the earthmoving arrangement is especially intended to seek legal certainty and transparency of the market. OVAM plans to make these changes in 2016.

Naturally, we will keep you informed!

Associated areas of specialisation: Environment